The Aftermath
by BreacrazyBates
Summary: Morganville has been reclaimed, Shane and Claire are married, and Michael is human again. Everything should be perfect, right? Everything is going well until Claire discovers a dark secret hiding within Morganville. When this secret threatens Claire and her friends, she knows that something must be done, but is it too late?
1. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

** Claire's POV:**

I wake up warm, safe, and happy with Shane's arms wrapped around my waist. I turn carefully in his arms, tracing my thumb down the side of his face.

Shane stirs but doesn't open his eyes. I stroke his hair gently, leaning my forehead against his. He opens his eyes and smiles at me.

"Good morning," Shane murmurs, laying a gentle kiss on my lips.

"Hey," I say, softly, laying my head on his chest. Shane's fingers stroke up and down my side lightly, causing me to shiver.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Shane asks as I kiss his shoulder softly.

"Eve asked us to come over for lunch at like noon, other than that, nothing," I say, nuzzling his neck. Shane kisses my hair.

"No work to do with your crazy boss today?" Shane asks, his face still buried in my hair.

"No. I have to day off and, as it so happens, so do you," I whisper in his ear, smiling at him. Shane moves in an instant, pinning me to the bed, his lips just barely touching mine.

"Then we should probably make the most of it," he says, kissing me deeply, his lips searing into mine. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His lips trail down my neck, nipping lightly. My fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him closer.

A little while later, I glance at the clock and jump up. Shane grumbles and stares up at me with puppy dog eyes, not getting out of bed.

"We're running late. We're supposed to be there in ten minutes," I say, grabbing clothes out of the closet, getting dressed quickly. Shane sighs and gets up, pulling on his clothes. He pulls me in for a long kiss before grabbing his keys. I pull on my shoes and walk we lock up, walking the few blocks to the Glass House.

It's been a few months since Shane and I got married. We had moved out and gotten a discount on a house of our own. It's a great little house very similar to the Glass House. It's lonely not living in the same house as Michael and Eve but we still go over there whenever we can.

I knock on the door. Eve opens it with a flourish and rolls her eyes.

"You know you don't have to knock right? You still have a key," Michael says, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around his waist. Shane shrugs and walks past them, collapsing on the couch.

"What's for lunch?" I glare at him.

"Shane, that's rude," I say, sitting on the couch next to him. Shane pulls me into his side, kissing the top of my head.

"I love you," he murmurs in my ear.

"I love you too," I whisper back, taking his hand and squeezing it.

"We have hot dogs in here, if you guys ever decide to stop making out on my couch," Michael says pointedly. Shane laughs.

"If we were making out, I promise you that you would know," Shane says, getting up and turning to help me up. I follow him into the kitchen.

"Don't worry, I didn't try to make chili because I knew that you would just make fun of me," Eve says, aiming a pointed look at Shane.

"Oh, bite me," Shane says, grabbing a few hot dogs. I grab one and take a bite, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"So, we have something to tell you," Eve says, her voice excited. I raise an eyebrow at her, confused.

"Eve and I..." Michael trails off, leaving it up in the air.

"Eve and you... what? You can't just end a sentence like that man," Shane says impatiently.

"I'm pregnant," Eve says, looking between the two of us. My mouth hangs open, my eyes wide.

"Eve, that's amazing!" I get up and hug her, laughing. Shane claps Michael on the back.

"Nice job, man. You're going to be great," Shane says, smiling widely at them both," Both of you."

"I wanted you both to be the first ones to know," Eve says, her smile quickly becoming contagious.

"I'm so happy for you guys. Who would have thought any of this would have happened a year ago?" Shane says, sitting back in his chair and pulling me to sit beside him.

And he's right. So many things have happened in the past year alone. I used to be angry with my parents for sending me here but now, I'm glad I came. I would never have met my best friends, or Shane. Sure, I almost died a few times along the way but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Ever since everything had calmed down in Morganville and we defeated the Daylighters, everything has been better than I ever dreamed of. Everything is calm and peaceful, relaxed, even. None of us knew that this would be what you call the calm before the storm.


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Note:**

**Hey guys, breacrazybates here. Just wanted to give a little thanks to you guys. I really appreciate everyone who has read this or will read it in the future. As always, R&amp;R. You guys are awesome! And thank you, once again.**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

** Claire's POV:**

Shane meets me at the door as I leave my last class of the day. His arm wraps around my shoulder as he pulls me against his side. He lays a gentle kiss on the top of my head as he pulls me into a walk.

"How was class?" he asks, his hand stroking up and down my arm.

"It was... interesting, to say the least," I sigh, shaking my head.

"I'm afraid to ask because it will probably make my head hurt," Shane teases. I roll my eyes.

"It's not that difficult, Shane," I say, hitting his arm lightly.

"I'm not a smarty pants like you, Claire," Shane taps the tip of my nose. I frown at him.

Shane pulls me in for a kiss, his body fitting to mine perfectly. He tastes like coffee with an underlying tone that's all his own. He wraps his arms around my waist, molding his lips to mine.

"I love you," Shane whispers when we finally pull back. His expression is dazed and lazy.

"I love you, too," I say, giving him gentle kiss before taking his hand and resuming walking home. We're almost back to our house when a gloved hand wraps around my mouth. I struggle until I feel the cold blade of a knife against my throat.

"Don't hurt her," Shane says, his expression fighting to stay calm. He raises his palms to show that his hands are empty.

"Follow," a muffled voice says," If you try anything, she dies."

Shane nods slowly. The man marches us through a few alleys before coming to a warehouse. He walks me through the door which immediately closes after Shane enters. He shoves us into a side room.

"Claire? Shane?" Eve's voice says from behind us," What's going on?"

"I don't know," I answer truthfully. Michael is keeping Eve close to him, his arms wrapped around her.

"I don't like this," Shane says, looking me over to make sure that I'm okay.

"That's a smart decision," a voice says, stepping out of the shadows. The door opens and two more vampires step in.

"Why are we here?" Shane demands, positioning himself between me and the vampires.

"_You _are here because I want information out of her," he levels a finger at me," The female back there is here because I want information out of him."

One of the vampires grabs me and the other grabs Shane. I struggle, reaching back to grab a knife out of my bag. The vampire grabs my other arm, tightening his grip painfully. I wince.

Shane struggles profusely, almost getting free a few times. I'm thrown into a chair. I'm in motion as soon as he lets me go, grabbing the chair and smashing it over his head. I shove a piece of the chair into his chest, finding my mark instantly. He collapses.

Shane is trading blows with the woman who was holding him. I pulls a small, travel sized bow out of my bag and notch an arrow. When I let it fly, it hits her in the chest and knocks her backward.

"I insist that you stop," I turn to see the man holding Eve by her hair, his fangs an inch from her neck. Michael grabs the man's hair and turns him toward him, punching him in the jaw. He lets go of Eve, stumbling backward, shocked.

The man moves at me as I let another arrow loose. It grazes his arm as he moves to the side. In a flash, he's in front of me. He pushes the bow back, causing it to hit me in the head. I stumble back, tripping and falling. My head smacks against the floor. Everything goes dark.


	3. Chapter Three

**Hey guys, breacrazybates here. I thought that I should warn you guys ahead of time that this chapter is more rated M then R. As always, R&amp;R. You guys are awesome. And thank you for taking time to read it.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

** Claire's POV:**

When I come to, I'm on my back and the lights above me are very bright. I try to sit up but find that I can't move my body. I can't even lift my head. I feel some sort of material against my forehead which must be what is preventing me from moving. Someone leans over me and it takes me a moment to focus on their face. It's the man from earlier.

"You're finally awake. I was going to use the boy against you but it seems that there was an accident and he is no longer with us," the smile the man has on his face makes my heart turn cold. He has to be lying.

"Shane!" I struggle, hoping he will answer me. When I don't hear a response, a tendril of fear wraps around my heart. It can't be true.

"I'm afraid that he can't answer you," the man removes the bond from my head and turns my head to the left. A sob bursts from my throat.

Shane is lying on the floor, blood surrounding him. His head is twisted the wrong way and there are fang marks on his neck. I feel my body begin to shake and I close my eyes, willing the image to go away. When I open my eyes, it's still there.

"I will kill you," I promise, tears filling my throat. Despite the shaking of my body, I mean every word of it. He will die and it will be by my hands.

"For now, I would worry about you. If you don't tell me what I want to know, there will be consequences," He grabs my chin firmly and turns my head to look back up, strapping my head back into place.

"What do you want from me?" I don't bother to disguise my anger.

"Information. I want you tell me everything you know about Myrnin, Oliver, and Amelie," the man instructs.

I want to sit here and sob, mourning my loss for Shane but he would definitely be pissed off at me if I did that. I have to live through this. I can't put Michael and Eve through my death too. I steel my resolve, promising myself all the time in world after I get out of this. A small part of me doesn't want to live through this, it wants to join Shane and just stay there with him forever but he would never forgive me if I did that. I'll worry about that later.

"What makes you think that I know anything about them?" I say, steeling myself. My voice only wavers slightly.

"You seem to be heavily involved with all three," he says simply. I feel him sticking something to my temples.

"What are you doing?" I ask, my voice cautious. He finishes and leans over me.

"You have one minute to tell me what I want to know or you will receive your punishment. I will get my answers out of you, one way or another," he says. There's something in his voice that I don't like.

I clench my jaw. I can't give them up. I refuse. I stare at him in silence for what must have been the longest minute of my life. He sighs and shakes his head, as if having to punish a small child, and tsks me.

"I wish you were more cooperative. This would be easier for both me and you," he says, and begins to fiddle with some machine next to me. I hear it whir to life and then he presses a button.

Pain fills my body and I can't stop the scream that pours out of me. I hear a banging noise but it sounds far away. After what feels like an eternity, the pain stops but my body still aches and my fingers twitch.

"Claire!" I hear Michael yelling and the banging sound continues consistently.

"Claire! Are you okay?" Eve sounds frantic and scared. I wish I could answer them but my voice is hoarse and only comes out as a croak.

"I'll give you a minute to recover but than I expect some answers," he says firmly. I'm not sure how long I lay there, pain wracking my body but I'm pulled from my thoughts by a crashing noise.

Police officers, human and vampire alike, fill the room. Someone walks over to me and frees me. I move carefully but everything hurts. Tears fill my eyes.

"What happened?" the officer asks me. I don't bother looking up. Nothing matters anymore. I answer him in a small voice, trying to force my sobs back. Eve and Michael push past him. Eve hugs me fiercely but stops when I cry out.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Eve asks hurriedly.

"I think I was given an electric shock," I stare down at my shaking hands and finally force myself to look over at Shane's body. Officers are kneeling around it, all talking at once. I sob and wrap my arms around my myself.

"Shane..." My voice is nothing more than a whisper. I can't stop the sobs wracking through my body.

"What about Shane?" Michael asks, a confused look on his face.

"H-He's d-dead," I hiccup, pointing to his body. Eve and Michael both turn to look, their eyes widening.


	4. Chapter Four

**Hey guys, breacrazybates here. I figured some of you might hate me for that last chapter or are very confused so I figured I would be nice and upload the new chapter to make some sense out of the situation. Sorry if it sounds ridiculous...**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

** Claire's POV:**

"Claire, what the hell are you talking about?" Eve sounds bewildered and turns to look at me.

"How can you not see him? He's laying right there," I want to be mad but I don't have the energy for it. Eve's next words make me jerk my head up so fast that the room starts spinning.

"_She _looks nothing like Shane," she says, being sure to put a lot of emphasis on the word she. This doesn't make any sense. It looks exactly like Shane.

I walk over to Shane's corpse and crouch beside it. Before the police can say anything, I reach down and touch face of the body on the floor. It looks exactly like Shane but it doesn't feel like him. The hair is obviously longer than Shane's and the face is definitely female.

"I-I don't understand. Why does it look like Shane to me. Even now, when I know that it's not him, it still looks like Shane," my voice trembles as I stand slowly, trying to wrap my head around what's going on.

"It's what Marcus does," a voice says behind me. I turn to see Amelie and Oliver. She looks at the body on the floor and then at me.

"What do you mean?" I ask, my confusion obvious on my face.

"It's a form of hypnosis. Just like Naomi could control people to do as she pleased, Marcus can make you see things that are not there or make something you should be able to see invisible," Amelie explains in an off-handed way.

"Even though I know it's not him, why hasn't it gone away?" I can't stop the question as I stare down at the body at my feet. Even know, it still looks exactly like Shane.

"He does not know that you know the truth. He will hold this illusion as long as he deems it necessary. I would be careful what you do because he can make things much worse than they already are since he is already inside of your head," Amelie warns, turning and walking away.

"That's it? A warning, no help?" Eve's voice is angrier than I've heard it in a long time.

"There's no way to fix it. The only thing she can do is survive and learn to live with it," Oliver shrugs and follows Amelie. I hear running footsteps but I don't look up as Michael gently leads me to a chair and forces me to sit.

"Claire! Are you okay? You don't look so good," a voice says from in front of me. I jerk my head up at the sound of Shane's voice but I don't see him anywhere.

"Shane?" I ask hesitantly.

"Claire, what's going on. I'm right here," I feel a gentle touch on my hand and look down but I still don't see anything.

"Oh no," Eve whispers, looking at me. My hands shake as horror fills me.

I can't see Shane. He's obviously there because I can feel him and Eve is staring at him, a look of shock on her face.

"Michael, why is she looking at me like that. I should never have left. How badly is she hurt?" Shane's voice is tense and worried. I reach out in front of me blindly, feeling for Shane.

"I shouldn't be the one to tell you," Michael says, taking Eve's hand. A hand wraps around mine and lays it against something. It takes me a second to recognize it as Shane's face.

"Claire, what's going on?" Shane whispers.

"I-I can't see you," my voice shakes as does my hand. I feel Shane's lips against it.

"What are you talking about? I'm right here," he confused and I don't blame him. I am too.

"He did something to me. I thought that you had died. I saw your body on the floor," a sob rises in my chest and I try to push it back down but am unsuccessful. I'm pulled against something hard that I instantly recognize as Shane's chest. I bury my face in his chest and sob as he strokes my hair," I can't see you. He has made you literally invisible to me."

"Shhh... I'm right here," Shane whispers into my hair. He pulls back and little and feel a gently pressure on my cheek and then on my lips. The warmth tells me that this is indeed Shane.

He pulls me along. It's a strange thing to be pulled along by something you can't see. The experience is truly weird. An officer tries to stop us but he's obviously never dealt with Shane before.

"Not today," Shane says, pulling me toward the door.

"But-" Shane must have given the officer a look because he stopped talking.

Shane walks us the short distance back to our home and scoops me up, carrying me upstairs. I try to object but Shane simple huffs at me and lays me on our bed. The bed next to me sinks and an arm goes around me.

"You're exhausted. Get some sleep," Shane murmurs, his breathing already slowing down. I fall asleep, nestled in his arms.

I wake up screaming, looking around frantically for Shane. When I don't see him, I feel a sob build up in my chest. He really is dead. It wasn't a dream. I feel a warm arm wrap around me.

"Claire, what's wrong? What's going on?" Shane's voice is worried and I turn to look at him, only to realize that I can't see him. Everything comes rushing back to me and I take a deep breathe, trying to calm my frantic heart.

"It was just a bad dream," I whisper and lean back against Shane, trusting him to hold me despite the fact that I can't see him. The next few weeks are going to be hell, if today has been any indication. Why can't life leave us alone for once. I would give anything in the world to be able to see Shane right now because being wrapped in his arms isn't the same when I can't look up at his face and know for a fact that I am safe. What are we going to do?


	5. Chapter Five

**Hey guys, breacrazybates here. I'm sorry it took me so long to upload. I've been disconnected from internet and now classes have started back so yeah :/. I should be able to update more frequently. I'll try to update at least once a week. If you have any ideas for me or just want to talk or something, send me a PM. You guys are awesome. As always, R&amp;R and thanks for reading!**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

** Claire's POV****:**

I wake up the next morning exhausted and sore. I was woken up four times last night, each nightmare worse than the next. Shane got less sleep than I did. I understand what Amelie meant when she said that it would only get worse since he was already inside my head.

I get out of bed and take a quick shower, getting dressed. I decide not to go to class today. I don't feel well at all. Hopefully I'll be able to take a nap today to make up for the lack of sleep last night. Shane is gone when I go downstairs. There's a cup of hot coffee and a not on the counter when I get downstairs.

**Claire,**

** Try to get some rest today. I'll be home for lunch. I love you.**

** Love,**

** Shane**

I smile and take a sip of my coffee. It tastes perfect. I hear the creak of someone walking down the stairs and I turn, shocked. It's Amelie. Great, just what I needed today.

"Claire," Amelie says, cocking her head slightly as she looks me over," You do not look well."

"I couldn't sleep last night," I say, giving her a pointed look. She nods as if she expected that answer.

"Than it has already started," Amelie says grimly," I will tell you everything you need to know about Marcus but I need something from you in return."

"And what would that be?" the question slips out before I can stop it. I take a sip of my coffee, feeling myself slowly wake up.

"I want you to use this information to come up with a machine to suppress Marcus' ability," Amelie says, sitting on my couch. Amelie sitting on my couch seems comical to me somehow, especially since it's a bit beaten up and used.

"Deal. I'm sure Myrnin and I can come up with something," I say, sitting in a chair next to the couch. Amelie's head turns so fast that it surprises me. The look in her eyes is blazing and I can feel her anger from here.

"Don't tell Myrnin," she says, staring straight at me.

"Okay? Why?" I say, hoping I'm not making her angrier. She relaxes slightly.

"Marcus was created by the same vampire as Myrnin. Many of us thought that he was dead. Myrnin will not react kindly to the news of him being back and I cannot afford for him to throw a tantrum right now. He is needed to keep up the perimeter, among other things. He may know about the project but he must not know why you are working on it. Do you understand me?" Amelie's tone is sharp. I nod," Good."

"What can you tell me about his ability?" I ask, reaching into my backpack, which is sitting on the floor next to the couch. Someone must have brought it over. I grab a pen and turn to a blank page.

"The ability and mental and slightly peculiar. Very few vampires can keep an established contact with the mind of someone else, but Marcus, much like Naomi, can. Once he makes contact with someone's mind, he can make you see things whenever he wants, and can even control your dreams. The ability to hide something is also a part of this but that one is more taxing and will falter many times," Amelie explains as I scribble in my notebook," So far, the only person he has made that connection with is you."

"I hate to ask but do you have any idea how to reverse it?" I say, biting my lip. Amelie's expression is hard.

"If I knew that information than this would have been taken care of a long time ago," Amelie snaps, standing. She gives me one last look before heading back up the stairs. I stare down at my notebook. I am way out of my league here. What in the world can I do to fix this?

I shake my head. I can't start being negative now. I curl up on the couch under a blanket and turn on a movie. I'm asleep almost immediately after pressing play. I don't know how long I'm asleep but it must have been afternoon by the time I got up. I turn off the tv and run a hand through my hair. I look up and scream lodges itself in my throat.

Hanging from the ceiling is Shane, a noose around his neck. Written on the wall, in blood are the words:

**You're Next...**


	6. Chapter Six

**Hey guys, breacrazybates here. My computer fell off of my bed and is now broken :(. I want to give a shout out to anyone who has reviewed this story, your reviews are what keeps this story going. Be sure to R&amp;R. I'm open the PMs or reviews with story suggestions, if anyone has anything. Thanks for reading! You guys are awesome!**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**Claire's POV:**

"It's not real," I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take. I hear the front door open and open my eyes to see Shane. I rush into his arms, catching him by surprise. I wrap my arms tightly around him, squeezing him as tightly as I can. He hugs me back, kissing my forehead.

"Are you okay? Did something happen?" Something sounds slightly off about his voice. When I look up, something about his expression stops me in my tracks. This is expression is not one that I have ever seen on Shane's face. He looks like he's forcing it.

I pull away, trying to pull out of his arms. His arms tighten around me and the face morphs into one that sends my heart into overdrive. In Shane's place is Marcus.

"Marcus," I grind out through my teeth, my anger apparent. His expression is entirely too smug, and it makes me angry.

I stomp on his foot as hard as I can, causing him to flinch slightly. I push him away from me. He stumbles backward into the door. My heart races as I dash into the kitchen. Under the sink is Shane's Morganville emergency bag.

I yank the zipper down and grab a silver knife. I don't have time to get the bow and arrows ready. I spin and hold the knife out in front of me, steadying my hands. My fear diminishes now that I have a weapon.

"Maybe you should put the knife down, Little Girl," Marcus' voice comes out sounding cloyingly sweet. This would have scared me years ago, but it doesn't anymore.

"I think that's a very bad idea. You don't scare me," He almost seems shocked by my lack of a response.

"Are you sure about that?" Marcus attempts to scare me as he walks closer, putting himself within range. He's underestimating me," Could you really hurt me?"

I swing the knife, the blade cutting across his chest. He bellows in pain, flinging himself away from me to prevent more damage. The shock in his expression proves that he _had _underestimated me. He wasn't going to anymore though, and his expression morphed to one of complete anger.

The front door opens and Marcus glares at me before stumbling out of the backdoor and slamming it behind him.

"Claire!" Shane runs into the kitchen, stopping when he sees the knife in my hand," Are you okay?"

It takes me a second to realize that I can see him. More footsteps enter the house. I lower the knife before finally throwing it in the sink. Shane rushes me, hugging me tightly.

"Claire? Shane? What the hell happened in here?" Eve's voice is loud as it rings through the house.

"Kitchen," Shane yells in response. Michael and Eve walk into the kitchen, looking like they expect a dead body or something along those lines.

"What happened? I really hope this isn't your version of redecorating because it's a real mess," Shane looks really worried.

"I'm fine. Marcus decided to pay a visit. It turns out that he can mimic faces and voices. I'm okay, because he wasn't scared of me. He thought I was too little to hurt him," I say, shrugging. I turn to the sink to rinse the blood off of the knife.

"You'd think that every vampire knew to fear our Claire," Michael teases. I roll my eyes.

"I'm glad he didn't because I'm not sure how that fight would have gone if he had feared me," I didn't finish with how close I came to a mental break before he showed up.

"Can you still not see Shane?" Eve asks, glancing at where Shane is standing.

"I'm not sure what happened, but I can see him. I guess he final weakened," I say, grabbing a soda from the fridge.

"Weakened? What do you mean?" Shane hands out sodas before grabbing his own and chugging half of the can. I roll my eyes.

"Amelie visited me. She said Marcus can only hide something in plain sight for some time before he becomes tired. He must have gotten tired or maybe it stops if he is injured physically. I'll have to ask Amelie to clarify. For now, you guys can go relax while I clean up this mess," I say, grabbing a few dirty towels and some cleaning solution.

Not long after, I hear the sound of gun shots ringing from our living room. I clean and straighten up the house, slowly relaxing. After I finally finish, I sprawl on the couch, laying my head on Shane's lap. He smiles down at me briefly before continuing playing his game.

After a while, Shane turns on a movie and it becomes a battle of the commentary. I'm not sure what movie he put on but there are a lot of zombies and gun fire so it's pretty similar to the game he loves so much.

All in all, it's a very relaxing night to end a hectic day. The past few days seem far away as we Eve forces me to sit up and scoot into Shane's side so she and Michael can sit with us. It's been a while since we've hung out like this and it makes me smile. Moments like this make all the hell we go through worth it.


End file.
